the matter with me. 'I am praising
God,' I said; 'praising God--the parson is converted!--I feel sure he
is. Glory be to God! Glory be to God!' They said, 'You must be dreaming;
you had better lie down again, and be quiet.' But it was of no use, I
could not sleep; and so soon as the light began to break, I dressed
myself, and have come out to see whether it is true,"
"Yes," I said, "it is true; the Lord has saved my soul; I am happy!" I
thanked him then and there for all the help he had been, and for the
patience he had so long exercised towards me. We spent a happy time
together, thanking and praising God, and then he returned home to tell
his friends and neighbours the news.
After breakfast a visitor arrived, who was on an errand of quite another
kind. The report had by this time spread far and wide, that I was
converted in my own pulpit, and by means of my own sermon; also, that I
had said, "If I had died last week, I should have been lost for ever!"
My friend having heard this, immediately mounted his horse and rode over
to see me about it. He at once put the question, "Did you say, last
night, in your pulpit, that you were saved; and that if you had died
last week you would have been lost for ever?" I answered, "Yes, indeed,
I did; and I meant it." He looked quite bewildered, and stood for a long
time arguing with me; then taking a chair he sat down, and began to
sympathize and pity me, saying how grieved he was, for he could see
madness in my eyes. He tried to divert my thoughts, and begged that I
would go out for a ride with him. Seeing that he made no impression by
his various arguments, and that he could not prevail upon me to recall
my words, he ordered his horse; but before mounting he said, "I cannot
agree with you, and will oppose you as hard as I can."
"Very well," I replied; "but let us shake hands over it: there is no
need that we should be angry with one another."
Then mounting, he started off, and had not gone more than a few yards,
when, suddenly pulling up, he turned, and placing his hand on the back
of his horse, called out, "Haslam, God stop the man who is wrong!" I
answered, "Amen," and off he trotted.
On the Friday following he broke a blood-vessel in his throat or chest,
and has never preached since. His life was in danger for Several weeks,
though in course of time he recovered, but I have heard that he has
never been able to speak above a whisper. God has most undoubtedly
stopped him
|